On 2009
Ok, so since I have free time this week, and since I do these things every year, I guess it's time to recap the previous year. Everyone has been complaining about how shitty 2009 was, but even though a lot of shit happened, I managed to stay in really good spirits all year. And though I'm glad to be moving into a new year, I don't look back on the past year as a bad one.
I graduated college, took several trips this year - including going to DC 4 (four) times since January and a 3-week mega-vacation before the semester began as a graduation present to myself, started graduate school, got accepted to a PhD program, turned 25, hosted my first Thanksgiving, and had my first White Christmas. 2009 was an important year for me, but 2010 is going to bring even more change. That will be a separate post.
Memorable events:
January
New Year's Celebration: Bologna drop in Lebanon, PA.
Marching with the Lesbian/Gay Marching Band in Obama's Inaugural Parade in the freezing cold.
Tahoe Ski Cabin weekend, where I got to cook, clean, and play houseboy for 11 friends.
February
Presented my first conference paper at the Lavender Linguistics Conference in DC
Being rejected from all the PhD programs I applied to.
March
Prop 8 Oral Arguments at CA Supreme Court in San Francisco
Amtrak trip to Aspen
April
Linguistics Trip to Oaxaca cancelled by Swine Flu
Iowa legalizes gay marriage
May
I receive notification of being the English department's honoree for the year
Weekly trivia begins at Buck Tavern; meet awesome people, maintain 1st place standing
I graduate from SF State Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Language Studies
Huge graduation party
CA Supreme Court upholds Prop 8, allows existing marriages
Family Reunion (Dad's side) in Orange County
June
Post-graduation laziness
Family Reunion (Mom's side) in SoCal
Pub Quiz: Clinch 1st place for Buck Tavern to move onto "Grand Pub Quiz" in July
July
Fillmore Jazz Festival for 4th of July
Last day at Bittersweet Cafe
Grand Pub Quiz Finals; we may have lost miserably, but I made awesome t-shirts, and we by FAR had the most fun
Midnight showing of Harry Potter
Trip to San Diego with Aaron and Elizabeth.
Houseboating trip on Lake Shasta
August
3-week vacation, including: Ocean City, MD, Washington DC, Chicago, Portland.
Next-door neighbor's apartment burns down; our place is ok
Linguistics Camping trip at Bodega Bay
Grad school begins at SF State, amid budget cuts, class cuts, and ridiculous furloughs.
My class at UC Berkeley begins
September
Dylan visits from Toronto
Aaron goes to Morocco
Folsom Street Fair craziness
October
Trip to Georgetown and Pittsburgh
National Equality March
Get part time job demonstrating espresso machines
November
Strikes/Protests at UC Berkeley
My 25th Birthday
My mom moves to the Bay Area
Hosting my first Thanksgiving
December
End of Semester
PhD Applications Due
Rejected from Berkeley Conference
Accepted to PhD program at UC Santa Barbara
Last day at Espresso Machine job
Fly to Pennsylvania for Christmas
Experience my first White Christmas
Experience shovelling snow for the first time
Fly First Class for the first time
Ring in 2010.
My list of Influential Songs of 2009
(In Alphabetical Order by Artist)
the Action Design, "Lounge in Formation"
AFI, "The Missing Frame"
Blaqk Audio, "Semiotic Love"
Bloc Party, "Kreuzberg"
Death Cab for Cutie, "I Will Possess Your Heart"
the Decemberists, "Mariner's Revenge Song"
Jared Mees and the Grown Children, "The Tallest Building in Hell"
the Killers, "Human"
MGMT, "Time to Pretend"
the New Limb, "Autumn Leaves"
Owl City, "Fireflies"
Play Radio Play!, "Confines of Gravity"
the Postal Service, "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight"
Regina Spektor, "Fidelity"
Stars, "The Night Starts Here"
I graduated college, took several trips this year - including going to DC 4 (four) times since January and a 3-week mega-vacation before the semester began as a graduation present to myself, started graduate school, got accepted to a PhD program, turned 25, hosted my first Thanksgiving, and had my first White Christmas. 2009 was an important year for me, but 2010 is going to bring even more change. That will be a separate post.
Memorable events:
January
New Year's Celebration: Bologna drop in Lebanon, PA.
Marching with the Lesbian/Gay Marching Band in Obama's Inaugural Parade in the freezing cold.
Tahoe Ski Cabin weekend, where I got to cook, clean, and play houseboy for 11 friends.
February
Presented my first conference paper at the Lavender Linguistics Conference in DC
Being rejected from all the PhD programs I applied to.
March
Prop 8 Oral Arguments at CA Supreme Court in San Francisco
Amtrak trip to Aspen
April
Linguistics Trip to Oaxaca cancelled by Swine Flu
Iowa legalizes gay marriage
May
I receive notification of being the English department's honoree for the year
Weekly trivia begins at Buck Tavern; meet awesome people, maintain 1st place standing
I graduate from SF State Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Language Studies
Huge graduation party
CA Supreme Court upholds Prop 8, allows existing marriages
Family Reunion (Dad's side) in Orange County
June
Post-graduation laziness
Family Reunion (Mom's side) in SoCal
Pub Quiz: Clinch 1st place for Buck Tavern to move onto "Grand Pub Quiz" in July
July
Fillmore Jazz Festival for 4th of July
Last day at Bittersweet Cafe
Grand Pub Quiz Finals; we may have lost miserably, but I made awesome t-shirts, and we by FAR had the most fun
Midnight showing of Harry Potter
Trip to San Diego with Aaron and Elizabeth.
Houseboating trip on Lake Shasta
August
3-week vacation, including: Ocean City, MD, Washington DC, Chicago, Portland.
Next-door neighbor's apartment burns down; our place is ok
Linguistics Camping trip at Bodega Bay
Grad school begins at SF State, amid budget cuts, class cuts, and ridiculous furloughs.
My class at UC Berkeley begins
September
Dylan visits from Toronto
Aaron goes to Morocco
Folsom Street Fair craziness
October
Trip to Georgetown and Pittsburgh
National Equality March
Get part time job demonstrating espresso machines
November
Strikes/Protests at UC Berkeley
My 25th Birthday
My mom moves to the Bay Area
Hosting my first Thanksgiving
December
End of Semester
PhD Applications Due
Rejected from Berkeley Conference
Accepted to PhD program at UC Santa Barbara
Last day at Espresso Machine job
Fly to Pennsylvania for Christmas
Experience my first White Christmas
Experience shovelling snow for the first time
Fly First Class for the first time
Ring in 2010.
My list of Influential Songs of 2009
(In Alphabetical Order by Artist)
the Action Design, "Lounge in Formation"
AFI, "The Missing Frame"
Blaqk Audio, "Semiotic Love"
Bloc Party, "Kreuzberg"
Death Cab for Cutie, "I Will Possess Your Heart"
the Decemberists, "Mariner's Revenge Song"
Jared Mees and the Grown Children, "The Tallest Building in Hell"
the Killers, "Human"
MGMT, "Time to Pretend"
the New Limb, "Autumn Leaves"
Owl City, "Fireflies"
Play Radio Play!, "Confines of Gravity"
the Postal Service, "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight"
Regina Spektor, "Fidelity"
Stars, "The Night Starts Here"